The present invention relates to a blade having a novel configuration which facilitates and stabilizes the anchoring of the blade when it is driven into a material, such as wood, while at the same time enhancing the ease with which the blade can intentionally be removed from an anchored position. The invention also relates to a tool using the blade for handling materials, especially logs and pieces of firewood to be split.
Various devices which are equipped with blades of different shapes and which include sharpened points are known to the art for moving, hoisting, or otherwise manipulating material brought into contact with the points or blade. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,229 discloses a pick-like tool, called a "pickaroon," which is used for rolling, prying, or sliding pulpwood and logs into which the pickaroon's single sharpened point has been driven. A similar tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,571,062.
The aforementioned devices, including the pickaroon and similar tools, generally suffer from the drawback that, once anchored in an object, they can be removed only with considerable effort, often requiring the use of an auxiliary tool, like a hammer, to dislodge the point or blade of the device from its anchored position.
The present invention is particularly adapted to facilitate the handling of firewood, for example, firewood which has been sawed into short lengths and must be handled by the supplier and/or ultimate user for various reasons, such as loading, unloading, stacking, carrying or the like. Typically, these pieces of firewood must be split, and this requires intensive bending-over, lifting from the ground and handling of not only the original unsplit piece of wood, but also two or more split pieces derived therefrom. Typically this work is carried out in an environment in which the logs are snow-covered, wet and/or slippery. Cutting, splitting and supplying firewood have become significant areas of commerce once again in view of increased prices for fossil fuels. Wood has become the primary heating fuel for 2.5 million American homes. Accordingly, there is a real need for an improved tool which facilitates the handling of firewood by both suppliers as well as homeowners. Of course, such a tool would also greatly benefit linemen, road crews, loggers and others who must handle logs.
Pickaroon-type devices presently on the market do not satisfy this need. While they do enable one to pick up a piece of firewood without bending over, they do not allow effective manipulation of the log or piece of wood once it is grasped or spiked with the tool. Furthermore, the piece of wood cannot be readily deposited again once it is spiked. This usually requires considerable effort by the user and/or extensive manipulation of the tool handle. Often it is necessary to employ one's foot or a second tool to disengage the pickaroon from the piece of wood. This considerable inconvenience severely limits the usefulness of the existing devices.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 203,575 depicts what is labeled a "hook-ax," comprising a shaft whereon is mounted a blade which presents a cutting edge along its rear edge and an opposing elongated projection ending in a curved point. This represents a standard firefighting tool, used to break through doors, walls, roofs, etc. by firefighting personnel. It is not used for handling objects.